Hirono Joins Bipartisan Group of SASC Colleagues in Calling On Navy Secretary to Revise Shipbuilding Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined 13 of her colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee in sending a letter to Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, calling on him to fulfill his commitment to provide an updated 30-year shipbuilding plan to the committee that abides by the statutory requirement for the Navy to maintain a minimum of 31 amphibious warfare ships.

During a committee hearing in April, Secretary Del Toro presented a shipbuilding plan that did not reach the statutory minimum as required by Congress. Subsequently, Secretary Del Toro committed to providing a plan to the committee in order to meet the requirement.

“At this time, you have not yet contacted the Committee to follow through on your commitment,” wrote the senators. “As we reiterated during the hearing, the statutory requirement for the Navy to maintain 31 amphibious warfare ships is not a suggestion, but a requirement based on the assessed needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.

The Navy’s current plan not only violates the statutory requirement, but also jeopardizes the future effectiveness of the Joint Force, especially as we consider national security threats in the Indo-Pacific. We request that you provide the Committee an updated shipbuilding plan no later than June 19, 2023. Alternatively, we request that you submit a plan to adhere to the statutory requirement before that date.”

The full text of the letter is available here.

In addition to Senator Hirono, the letter was also signed by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rick Scott (R-FL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Deb Fischer (R-NB).

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